Crosstown Rebels, Damian Lazarus’ record label, has just released another mighty collaboration EP with an imaginative reshape by the big boss himself. The ‘Atacama’ EP showcases Patrice Bäumel and Audiofly’s talents, both of whom are no stranger to the label, and the end result seemed to have pleased Lazarus as he heard inspiration enough to try his own hand at a reshape.
You can try your best to stay still during Patrice Bäumel and Audiofly latest release, Atacama, but with it’s rolling bass lines and undulating vocals, it will be a hard task. The track begins rather bare; the only thing that can be heard is the hollow sound of a beat, softened by a snare drum. Synth notes enter sequentially, melodically, and fuse together harmonically. A lone voice helps is split into a thousand, each one rippling and pulsing outward into the broad soundscape the track’s created. By now the core elements are all present, but it isn’t until the booming bass line enters do we feel the full potential of Atacama. Like the sky has parted, the rolling, winding up and winding down, bass line easily steals the show,
An imaginative reshape Damian Lazarus’ reshape is, as the further distortion, and un-distortion, of the lyrics and a further attention to bass notes sharply turn this track into a new direction. The track immediately unfolds differently than the original, with a trudging beat and full, sub bass groove repeating notes. Eerie vocal undertones can be perceived throughout the build, coupled with gnarly synth hooks and ominous melodies, a mixture of elements that are engineered to echo the distinctive vocal of the track which chant endlessly “no matter what I do”. This a sense of repetitiveness results in the listener being forced to let themselves go and just enjoy the ride.
‘Atacama’ EP was released on September 15th, 2017 on Crosstown Rebels. (Tess)
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